|
During times such as these when Americans are suffering in the aftermath of another lawless act, it is difficult to have the policy conversation over homeland security. Nevertheless, it's worth the effort to remind our fellow Americans that we live in a dangerous world where our law enforcement personnel can mitigate -- but cannot prevent -- violence and harm from impacting the American public.
Given that the term "homeland security" arose in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, it is very common to consider the term as intrinsically linked with preventing Islamist-based terrorism. Yet taking a step back, one can see the homeland security encompasses a very broad section of security concerns: drug enforcement, economic security, hardening key infrastructure points, providing relief from natural disasters, and securing logistics chains from energy to food.
This effort to prevent what are known as "black swan" events is part of the game. Sometimes, you don't know what you don't know, and in a nation of 320 million people being able to provide for every contingency and eventuality can seem like a fool's errand at best. Other times, there are some events that you know will occur -- hurricanes and earthquakes -- but can never be certain of when. For such events, securing the homeland requires a state of readiness that may seem like waste in the good years, but wise and prudent planning when required (our military strength is but one example of such prudence).
As I mentioned when the Gilmore Commission wrapped up in 2003, the dream of "total security" is precisely that -- a dream. Should we pursue it ideallistically, the results will not give us a utopia -- but a dystopian hell that certainly no one would ever want to live in.
Freedom and security are delicate things, yet the balance between license and tyranny isn't the security state -- but liberty. Certainly rural America doesn't require a New York-style security apparatus, yet at the same token hardening every location where two or more are gathered against violence or catastrophe is quite simply an unrealistic and impossible task.
Our best security against violence is vigilance. Vigilance in our surroundings and among our loved ones; vigilance when it comes to what is important. No American should be asked to live in fear, but every American should be able to work, eat, sleep, live and play in the knowledge that everything humanly possible can and will be done to protect our homeland against disruption.
Some news and articles we recommend for information and discussion purposes, none of which necessarily represent the position of A/O:
|
As always, American Opportunity is always looking for new resources and topics we can address in detail. Please feel free to stay in contact!
Sincerely,
 |
|
|
|
